novelraw Chapter 161 : Footsteps of the Predecessor
Chapter 161 : Footsteps of the Predecessor
Chapter 161: Footsteps of the Predecessor
In the Imperial Palace of the Central Plains, there was a small lake called Geum Yaho.
Nestled between lavish pavilions, this lake, meticulously maintained by the palace staff, boasted breathtaking scenery all year round.
Especially when the midday sunlight shattered across its surface, its beauty would reach its peak.
Fwiik—
In such a place, a middle-aged man cast a flimsy bamboo fishing rod toward the lake’s edge.
He was a man so shabby in appearance, one would never believe he belonged in the Imperial Palace.
A court official, clad in pristine robes that radiated dignity, cautiously approached him and spoke.
“Your Majesty, there are no fish in this lake.”
The graying middle-aged man, addressed as Your Majesty, replied in a flat voice without even flinching.
“I’m not trying to catch fish.”
“Then…?”
“I’m trying to catch time.”
“……”
Though it sounded poetic at first, in the end, it simply meant he was idly killing time.
The official forcefully repressed his bewilderment. No matter what, he could not dare cast a disrespectful gaze upon the Son of Heaven, a being sent from above.
“But Your Majesty, I worry whether it’s truly safe to allow the Beggars’ Union into the Imperial Capital.”
“If it’s not, are you saying they’ll rise in rebellion?”
The Son of Heaven slowly lifted his fishing rod from the lakeside.
Under the sunlight, a droplet of water glistened like a gem at the tip of the line.
“But wasn’t it Your Majesty who once banned their entry?”
“Yes, I did. It looked amusing, so I did it.”
All of it had begun on a single game board.
“Then this time, lifting the ban as well…?”
“Yes, it looked amusing, so I did it.”
Still wearing an indifferent expression, the Emperor stated plainly that he’d acted purely out of amusement. Who could possibly know his true inner thoughts? The official bowed his head in acknowledgment.
“By the way, you said this memorial was submitted on someone else’s behalf by the Princess Peach Blossom, did you not?”
The request coming from Princess Peach Blossom was unexpected, and a faint interest crept into the Emperor’s voice.
“So I’ve heard, Your Majesty.”
“Who is this fellow?”
In response to the question, the official reported in detail the poisoning incident at the Third Princess’s Palace and the troubleshooter who resolved it.
He explained exactly how the man uncovered the identity of the poisoner, and even what price he demanded in return.
As he listened to everything, a flicker of emotion finally crossed the Emperor’s usually impassive face.
“Interesting. Reminds me of a certain old man.”
A very faint smile played on his lips.
In his eyes, fixed on the Princess’s Palace, an odd glint flickered.
One day, an official from Kaifeng came to visit the Beggars’ Union’s main base.
Ever since they had been banished from the Imperial Capital, the union had grown distant from government affairs, so the sudden appearance of a court official in ornate robes left everyone puzzled.
The official, having summoned the elders of the Beggars’ Union to Geoluidang, proclaimed in a commanding voice for all to hear:
“The Beggars’ Union shall receive the Imperial Edict!”
They had once been banned from entering the capital in the same fashion, so the beggars gathered here hardened their expressions.
But defying all expectations, the official began reading an unexpected message.
“Martial artist Dan Mujin, through Princess Peach Blossom, has submitted a petition to which the Son of Heaven has acceded. Henceforth, all members of the Beggars’ Union are granted entry into the Northern Capital of the Imperial City!”
At first, people looked baffled, not understanding what they were hearing. Some even doubted their ears, thinking they must have misheard.
Then suddenly, Elder Ilhogae of the Beggars’ Union leapt up in surprise at the mention of the name Dan Mujin.
“D-Dan Mujin, you say?! Did that young master truly appeal directly to the Son of Heaven?”
Ilhogae stared in disbelief at the official as he asked.
His shocked question rippled through the crowd of beggars.
“Dan Mujin? Who’s that?”
“Why would he do something so reckless… for us?”
At that moment, Park Chil, who had once roamed the Murim with Dan Mujin under the guise of Majungcheon, saw his opportunity and stepped forward to explain.
“He’s a young man secretly raised by the Dragon Head Sect Leader as his successor. At his age, he’s already reached Peak Mastery, made a name for himself across the land, and even earned the title Dog-Beating Dragon!”
He listed off one by one the incidents from the Dragon-Phoenix Bloodbath, Liaoning Province, and the Jinju Eon Clan, shouting that Dan Mujin was more than worthy to be the next in line.
There was even a touch of subtle pride in Park Chil’s voice—he had, after all, already established a connection with such a man.
“What? Successor? Then the Dragon Head Sect Leader didn’t abandon us after all?”
“To think he’d been secretly cultivating such a figure...!”
A wave of faint emotion spread through the beggars.
So he had been raising talent for the future of the Beggars’ Union. And not only that—this successor had ventured into the Imperial Palace and negotiated directly with the Son of Heaven.
It was something no other member of the Beggars’ Union would have even dared to imagine. The others now looked to the official with eyes that mirrored the elder’s disbelief.
“Yes, he petitioned him…! And thanks to him, entry into the capital has been granted! I reaffirm—there are no longer any restrictions on your entry!”
The official’s booming voice echoed through the streets of Kaifeng. With his repeated confirmation, countless members of the Beggars’ Union erupted in unified cheers.
“Ooooh!”
“Waaaah!”
And Park Chil, who had been early to invest in building ties with the next Dragon Head Sect Leader, cried out his name with a triumphant grin.
“Dan Mujin! Dan Mujin!”
Soon, those three syllables—Dan Mujin—were being shouted amidst cries of “Long live!” from the gathered beggars.
“To think he resolved something even our Sect Leader couldn’t!”
“How in the world did he sway the Son of Heaven’s heart?”
“Whatever the case, he’s incredible!”
The news spread from mouth to mouth, shaking the entire city of Kaifeng in an instant.
An individual they believed abandoned had now returned before them, shining with new hope.
“At this rate, we can’t just sit around!”
“Everyone, head north! The path is open—they say we can now step foot into the Imperial Capital!”
“I’ve got to see the face of our next Sect Leader with my own eyes!”
Excitement turned to frenzy, engulfing all of Kaifeng. Soon, beggars eager to head for the capital began flooding in like waves.
Their numbers went from a hundred to five hundred, and once it surpassed a thousand, it became a massive crowd.
What began simply as a procession to glimpse his face soon snowballed into something far greater, growing in size with each city they passed.
“Let’s go, to the Northern Capital!”
“The Son of Heaven has permitted our entry!”
“Who dares stand in our way?!”
***
That evening, in the cozy office of our Troubleshooter Agency.
Once the business in the Imperial Palace was finally wrapped up, Tang Yeo-hye told us she had somewhere to go and came to bid us farewell.
“…But I feel like I came to ask something.”
She tilted her head, puzzled. She had seemed to have a clear purpose when she first arrived, but now she wasn’t so sure.
“Noona, seriously. You can’t just let yourself go the moment Neung Sam ajeossi disappears.”
I snickered as I teased her, and she immediately snapped back.
“Yah, this is all your fault. I got dragged into the Imperial Household the moment I arrived… Suddenly doing laundry in a maid outfit, running into the Princess, and even getting involved in a poisoning case… Ugh.”
She pressed her throbbing forehead and grumbled.
Yeah, she’d really been caught up in a whirlwind of palace intrigue.
“Where are you heading now?”
“The Demon-Slaying Unit. I’m planning to join Murong Cheonghye the heroine.”
They’d fought alongside each other against the same enemy before. Plus, the fact that they’d both left their families behind gave them some common ground—or so she said.
So, the Demon-Slaying Unit, huh. That meant she’d be running all over the place chasing after the Blood Cult.
Or perhaps after something else entirely. Either way, with our line of work, we’d probably run into each other from time to time.
“Still, I’ve had such bizarre experiences thanks to you. I can’t believe I’ve been to the Princess’s Palace. It still feels surreal.”
I simply shrugged in response to her banter.
“A skilled troubleshooter is sought out no matter where they are. Even if it’s the Imperial Palace.”
“That damned troubleshooter of yours. Just be careful. Getting entangled with the Imperial Palace only increases the odds of something terrible happening to you.”
I’d been involved with the high and mighty before. Most of those times had to do with political scandals.
But this was different. The palace wasn’t just about image damage through the media—it was a place where human lives could be crushed without a second thought.
“Anyway, I’m off.”
She grabbed the doorknob and waved her hand.
A woman who had shown up unannounced, but turned out to be of great help. I still didn’t know why she came.
“Get going already!”
“Sorry, we won’t be seeing you off!”
Jo Harang and Ilhong waved their hands energetically, looking a little sad to see her go.
“…You two seem kind of happy I’m leaving, huh?”
“No way, that’s not true.”
The two women in the office vehemently denied it in unison.
Since when did those two start getting along so well?
“Hah, seriously.”
Snorting as if she couldn’t believe it, Tang Yeo-hye stepped out.
Jjang-lang jjang-lang.
And just like that, Tang Yeo-hye made her cool exit.
It seemed she had left not just us, but also her clan, the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
I hoped Neung Sam ajeossi wouldn’t be too heartbroken.
Then again, maybe she was taking him with her. They were practically inseparable, after all.
“But boss, what exactly happened in there?”
“Yeah, come on, tell us. Playing a maid? A princess? Poisoning?”
As soon as she left, Jo Harang and Ilhong clung to me, their eyes intense, demanding answers.
They clearly weren’t happy about being left out while I had been off doing something with her.
“Uh… it’s a long story.”
When I said I’d tell them later, they immediately stomped their feet in protest.
But really, it would be a very long explanation.
“And I have somewhere to be.”
“Where?”
“Well, I’m probably getting dragged off by Hwang Geolgae.”
Now that a new Imperial Edict had been issued regarding the Beggars’ Union in Beijing, word that I’d visited the Imperial Household seemed to have spread far and wide.
“Ah.”
Ilhong gave me a sympathetic look, as if she understood perfectly.
“Dog-Slaying Guard!”
A long sword sliced through the air. The sword flash from Hwang Geolgae’s blade came crashing down toward my neck.
“M-Master! I think you’re putting too much strength into it!”
I barely dodged it by a hair, but before I could block the second strike, a third flash came raining down.
Was this really a Dog-Slaying Sword Technique, or was it a disciple-slaying sword technique? Every strike was brimming with killing intent.
“Do you seriously not understand why I’m angry?!”
I had no choice but to keep stepping back in the face of the relentless flurry of sword strikes.
The usual staggering, drunken Hwang Geolgae was nowhere to be seen. Only fierce sword attacks filled my vision, cutting through the air with deadly force.
“Gah! Seriously!”
A sword flash grazed my shoulder.
How was this training, exactly? From the outside, it just looked like he was carving up a hunk of meat.
Still, this was apparently his way of holding back because I’d resolved something he couldn’t.
What would’ve happened if he hadn’t held back?
‘Ugh, Salseong, are you there?’
Feeling like I was going to die at this rate, I tried calling out to the Possessing Spirit of Hunger within me.
But as always, there was no reply from my invisible friend.
“Do you even realize what you’ve done, you brat?!”
“Uh, a good deed…?”
My answer left Hwang Geolgae with an incredulous expression.
“…No point in talking.”
He lunged again, looking ready to slice something apart.
“Wait! I get it, I get it! Let’s talk this out!”
“You’ve caught the eye of the Son of Heaven! That’s why this old man is so furious!”
And so the rage-filled sword strikes continued for about two hours.
He was grateful that I’d petitioned the princess and secured access to the capital for the Beggars’ Union.
But the fact that I’d caught the Son of Heaven’s attention was extremely upsetting to him.
“Ughhh, Master, I’m going to die…”
“A Heaven-Slaying Star like you wouldn’t die from something like this. Tsk tsk.”
So this is what it means to get scolded even when you do well.
Just how scary was the Son of Heaven that even getting his attention was bad?
Honestly, I didn’t get it. No matter how dangerous he might be, could he really be more dangerous than me, a Heaven-Slaying Star?
‘Help me out, Possessing Spirit of Hunger.’
That guy was super useful during sword training, really boosted efficiency.
If only he’d help me block some of these brute-force attacks.
……
But of course, even though I could feel he was watching everything, he remained silent.
He’d been like this ever since the last time he got mentioned. Maybe he’d react if I brought him up again?
“Master.”
“What is it, brat?”
Breathing heavily, I asked him about the Possessing Spirit of Hunger.
“You said one of the previous Heaven-Slaying Stars was a woman, right?”
“…Why are you bringing that up now?”
I had noticed his palm twitch a bit when it was mentioned last time.
“If it’s a previous Heaven-Slaying Star, wouldn’t that make her, like, my ancestor?”
“Hah, seriously. She’s not your damn ancestor, brat.”
He shot up, telling me not to talk nonsense when we didn’t even share a drop of blood.
“Anyway, she was in the same position I am now, right? Can’t you tell me a bit more? I did help you out just now, didn’t I?”
Hwang Geolgae, like the Possessing Spirit of Hunger, had clammed up since that one mention last time.
But perhaps because I’d just helped the Beggars’ Union, he finally started to open his mouth.
“The previous Heaven-Slaying Star, as far as people know, was a woman of the Demonic Cult.”
I flinched and sat up straight at that.
“The Demonic Cult…?”
The kind of big bad villains you always hear about in martial arts novels?
But maybe this struck a nerve, because the Possessing Spirit of Hunger finally broke his silence.
‘Not the Demonic Cult… It was the Ming Cult, you idiot…’